Robbie Branscum

Robbie Branscum
Born Robbie Nell Tilley
(1934-06-17)June 17, 1934
Big Flat, Arkansas
Died May 24, 1997(1997-05-24) (aged 62)
San Pablo, California
Occupation author, farmworker
Nationality American
Period 1971–1991
Genre children's literature
young adult fiction
Notable awards Edgar Award, Friends of American Writers Award, PEN Award
Spouse Dwane Branscum (1949; div.)
Leslie Carrico (1974; div.)
Children Deborah Branscum

Robbie Nell Tilley Branscum (June 17, 1934 – May 24, 1997) was an American writer of children's books and young adult fiction. Her books were awarded with a Friends of American Writers Award (1977) and an Edgar Award (1983).[1][2]

Robbie was born on a farm near Big Flat, Arkansas. Her father died when she was only four years old and she grew up with her poor grandparents on another farm. Branscum dropped out from school after the seventh grade. She continued to read books and write poetry and songs[3] and provided for her livelihood through work at dirt farms.[1] At the age of 15 she married Dwane Branscum. She gave birth to a daughter and divorced at the age of 25.[2]

Her life took a major turn after the newsletter of her church, the Southern Baptist, printed an article she had written. Subsequently she decided to become an author. Her first book was Me and Jim Luke (1971). Branscum published 20 books in 20 years time, though not one each year. Several of her books were translated into Danish, Italian, Japanese, and Swedish. Branscum worked with literary agent Barthold Fles.[4] She died from a heart attack in 1997 in her home in San Pablo, California.[1]

Honors and awards

  • 1977 – Friends of American Writers Award for Toby, Granny and George[5]
  • 1979 – Best of the Best 1966–1978, School Library Journal, for Johnny May[5]
  • 1983 – Edgar Award, Category: Best Juvenile, for The Murder of Hound Dog Bates[5][6]

Books

  • 1971 – Me and Jim Luke
  • 1975 – Three Wars of Billy Joe Treat
  • 1976 – Johnny May
  • 1977 – Toby, Granny and George
  • 1978 – Three Buckets of Daylight (with Allen Davis)
  • 1978 – To the Tune of a Hickory Stick
  • 1978 – The Ugliest Boy
  • 1979 – For Love of Jody (with Allen Davis)
  • 1979 – The Saving of P.S.
  • 1979 – Toby Alone
  • 1981 – Toby and Johnny Joe
  • 1982 – The Murder of Hound Dog Bates[7]
  • 1983 – Cheater and Flitter Dick[8]
  • 1983 – Spud Tackett
  • 1984 – The Adventures of Johnnie May
  • 1986 – The Girl[9]
  • 1987 – Johnny May Grows Up
  • 1989 – Cameo Rose
  • 1991 – Old Blue Tiley
  • 1991 – Never Pa's Girl

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Obituary - Robbie Branscum", Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, Virginia, May 31, 1997, p. 12
  2. 1 2 "Robbie Tilley Branscum". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
  3. ↑ Nancy Larsen. "Robbie Branscum Papers". University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections. citing Something about the author. 72. pp. 19–21.
  4. ↑ Branscum R: "Cheater and Flitter Dick". Viking Press, 1983
  5. 1 2 3 Saxon, Wolfgang (May 30, 1997). "Robbie Tilley Branscum, 62, Children's Author". Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Search the Edgars Database!". Mystery Writers of America.
  7. ↑ Woods, George A. (November 30, 1982). "Books Of The Times". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  8. ↑ Kuskin, Karla (October 23, 1983). "Children's Books". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  9. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X7kLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5FUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2756,2799532&dq=robbie-branscum%5Bdead+link%5D
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